Six heavy bots trudged through the snow, marching towards the NVM territory.

"How long is this going to take? It's getting cold." A Paladin asked.

"Shut up. Just let me enjoy the silence. Actually, Higgins, you're from Vault 101, you have a Pip Boy. Turn on the radio." Veronica Santangelo said.

"There's only one radio channel within the distance, the NVM Channel."

"Turn it on, then. Bullshit propaganda is worth listening to for some music."

Higgins put on the radio, and music blared out. After about a minute, a voice came out.

"Hello, this is the New York News Announcer, and this is the NVM News channel, the only news channel that will tell you the truth about the war, because we're all in it together, baby! The Securitrons are rolling into all towns in NVM Territory, to provide protection to the locals, with help from the NYPD. Securitron Stations are being set up in the towns to allow Securitrons to charge and guard the areas, and the NVM are already designating areas to be used for farmland when springs hit. Several new crimes are being enforced, including assisting the Brotherhood of Steel, attacking NVM Soldiers and Ghoul or Mutant Discrimination. The NVM are also trading blankets and firewood to the locals in exchange for their weapons and ammunition, giving out food and clothing to the poor in the towns and Rad-Away to any towns close to the nuclear strike zone. In other news, the Brotherhood are suffering immense causalities from the nuke…"

"Turn that shit off. I'd rather not have the reminder that everyone I know is dead." One of the ghoulified paladins said.

The weather got colder, frost appearing on the power armour of the paladins. A Paladin fired his incinerator forward, and walked into the heated air.

"Don't waste fuel."

"We're all traitors to the Brotherhood. I can do whatever the hell I want."

"If you keep wasting fuel, I won't be helping you when Securitrons burst out… speak of the devil."

A group of six Securitrons rolled down the street far up the street, towards them.

"We have to move. There's an alley to the right of us, we'll go down there and find a spot to hide. Then, we keep moving."

OOO

Hal and Frank groaned as they pushed the heavy car wreckage into line with the newly formed barricade.

"Get moving! We need this barricade up before the weather gets much colder. We're sealing this section off." Roy yelled.

The Super-Mutants were teaming up to fortify the local towns by moving wreckage to make a barricade around a small town based in a skyscraper that mainly acted as a giant brothel to the city. A few prostitutes watched them work from armchairs in what used to be the town's lobby, eating steak and drinking beers. Meanwhile, the local Brothel owner was discussing plans with an NCR Sniper.

"We need to be able to keep traffic through this place frequent. The girls need business, and the robots, ghouls and mutants passing through sure as hell don't provide it. They're all sterile, and the NYPD are against prostitution."

"There's the Gary Tribe and the ex-Communists, and those recruited from the local population."

"It's not enough. We can't only have soldiers passing through. We need the local population."

"You're willing to be infiltrated by Brotherhood so you can earn so caps?"

"We'll keep tabs on those coming in. Only allow regulars or those we know as locals in."

"Fine. Just know you've been warned."

"Thank you. If you wish, we could offer you some company and rest for the night. You could set out to the coast in the morning."

"I'll take a bed, but don't send any girls."

"OK. I'll have someone show you to your room. The mutants may rest in the cheaper rooms."

"Give the mutants the best goddamn beds you have. Haven't you heard? Mutant discrimination is a crime."

Boone smiled slightly.

"Provide the boys with some water and food when they finish. Then, they'll sleep and we'll leave in the morning. The Securitrons will provide protection from the Brotherhood, so you won't have to worry. Just be careful who you trust. With the radiation and cold coming, the Brotherhood of Steel will be desperate. It'll be a pretty dangerous Nuclear Winter.

OOO

Six Securitrons drove along on their wheels, with satchels and backpacks hanging from their arms, filled to the brim with purified water and food. Two Hospital Mister Handsy's followed, ready to give medical care to the local town slums. Light snow fell, covering the tops of the Securitrons as they struggled to drive through the thick snow. At some points, the Mister Handsy's would use their flamers to melt heavily snow covered areas. They passed a pack of dogs with blue collars and the number '5' inscribed on them, chasing after a group of mole rats. The Securitrons opened fire on them with their machine guns, killing the mole rats and letting the Vault 5 dogs get their prey. The Securitrons continued, leaving the dogs behind them as they chewed into the meat. They reached a campfire in a destroyed building with thick blankets covering the windows and doorways, where several men, women and children in thick winter coats sat around it. The Securitrons drove inside and stopped.

"Hello, Sirs and Madams. We are here to offer assistance." The lead Securitron said.

"Really? Got any chems? Booze?"

"We have Fixer to help those with addictions. We also have water and food."

The three kids crowded around the Securitrons, who dispensed bubble gum and Nuka Cola among the kids. They dropped off a package containing a few litres of purified water, cram, noodles, gecko steak, two Rad-X and four stimpaks. The Mister Handsy's quickly went about healing one of them of his severe radiation poisoning and another of a sprained hand, before turning off to head to the next group of humans on the map.

"Thanks, 'bot." One of the women said, taking a sip of beer, as the Securitrons sped away.

OOO

Terry O'Donnell, now the local "sheriff" for a small town, walked along the subway, wearing power armour covered in rags to keep him warm. He lit a cigarette, and removed his helmet and stuck in a cigarette. He walked up the subway stairs to the open streets, where there was yelling.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"A fistfight broke out between a group of locals and some knights over a hidden minigun. The locals use them for hunting the larger game, while the knights say we need it for the war."

"Who started it?"

"The locals threw the first punch."

"Imprison the locals, confiscate the minigun, give the knights refused rations. What other issues are there?"

"An NVM plasma mine took out two scavengers. It must have been left from fall."

"Send armoured security bots from Uptown Heights over to search for any more bombs. What else?"

"A group of initiates were caught stealing from the town's kitchens."

"Have the ringleaders executed, the head members exiled and the minor offenders get reduced rations. What else?"

"That's it. Aside from that, we're doing well."

"Perfect. I'll round up some spare supplies and give them to the scavengers' widows if they have any, and hand out hunting rifles to the locals to allow them to hunt. The towns improving." He said, smiling. "Soon enough, the ice will thaw, and we'll get ready to fight some more."

OOO

Two NYPD Officers ran up the steel stairs of the outside of a building, trying to quickly get to the roof. A passing Securitron had taken several bullets from a sniper on the roof, and the NYPD were in pursuit.

They reached the top, and saw two figures jump across the roof to another building. The two NYPD followed, running as fast as possible before diving across the gap and rolling back to their feet and sprinting after them. There was little snow today, but the roofs were covered with ice so they went slowly. One of the figures slipped on the ice and slid to the ground. One NYPD Officer fired his assault rifle, hitting her in the back. The figure fell, lying on the ground as a pool of blood came around them. The second figure dropped to help her, but took a shot through the side of the head. The two NYPD looked over the two corpses, both in Vault 18 uniforms. One was a girl in her thirties, the other was a teenaged boy, presumably the girl's spotter.

"That's two kills. Take their weapons, and any supplies they have. We should head home quickly. It's getting cold, and I have a card game at eight."

"Yeah, let's get out of here."

OOO

The Courier sipped on a bottle of Nuka-Cola, a refreshing break from his usually alcoholic beverage. He heard Anna from their bedroom and entered. She was standing next to a Mister Handsy.

"Can you come here?" She asked.

"What's up?"

"We need to talk."

The Courier raised an eyebrow, but he sat down in a cushioned chair.

"What's wrong?"

"I was getting a medical exam from this bot. It… informed me of something."

"Are you sick? Hurt?" The Courier stood up, worried.

"I'm pregnant."

The Courier paused.

"Am I the father?"

"Yes."

"Huh." The Courier stood perfectly still, thinking. "Well, I guess I'm going to be a dad. Interesting. Let's get married."

OOO

The Lone Wanderer sat on his bed, smoking a cigar. He heard a voice from outside, and opened the door.

"Commander, we found an Eyebot attempting to enter the compound. We shut off its weapons defences, and now it wants to talk to you."

"Send it in. Check it for bombs first, then send it in."

The Lone Wanderer sat down and took a puff of the cigar, before the Eyebot entered.

"Are you from the NVM?" He asked.

"Hello, Water-Giver." The bot said in the Courier's voice. "I have a message for you. I'm sending it in ED-E here, who I hope you don't try to kill. If you do, I'll make sure to kill everything you love. I want to negotiate a truce. We've taken too many losses to continue fighting. I'll meet you at the Fuel Depot town. Bring whatever security you need, but don't try to start a fight, or the next nuke is going to Vault 101. I'll see you there."

OOO

The NVM Behemoth robot marched along the road towards its target. It peered through its electronic sights and saw a group of eight paladins hiding in cover. Two knights pushed open the main doors, and six Security Bots drove out. The Behemoth fired its forward guns, blowing two Security Bots in a blast. Two NYPD ran out from cover with their Chinese Assault Rifles and fired, blowing holes in another two bots. They rolled two pulse grenades forward, destroying the last two. The Behemoth fired several shots, blowing holes in the school. The Behemoth continued firing for several minutes, until a white flag was hung out the window.

"Come out with your hands in the air!" An Officer yelled.

A Knight and two Paladins walked out with their hands in their air. The NYPD Officers tied their hands behind their back, and tied their neck to the back of the massive Behemoth, and it started stomping down the street back to NVM Territory.

"We need to get back to base before the temperature drops. Start marching, prisoners."

OOO

In the Atlantic Ocean, a large submarine floated just under the surface of the water. Inside the command centre were five Brain Vats, containing the heads of the NCE, or New Chinese Empire.

"Shí is lost. That leaves Sikou, Leng, Zi and Jin." "The American Military captured the ship. We need to recapture it." President Meng said.

"We already have plans. Shí takes Eastern America, Sikou takes Europe, Leng takes Russia, Zi takes Western America and Jin takes Canada." Vice President Sang said.

"He's right. We stick to the plan of the Old World. We can't break away." Premier Long said.

"Without Shí, Eastern America will stand and wipe us out. We need to capture Shí's World Eater and fire its payload." Chairman Kaí said.

"Send the Legion. They'll take down the New York Army." Supreme General Chonghuan said.

"Understood. We'll gather the men, charge the solar panels, pull back the men from their posts, take the fleet towards the East Coast, and launch the Vertibirds."

"The Submarines are all spread out, waiting for the Apocalypse Date, when the vaults open and we launch the missiles to wipe out all of Capitalism. It'll take an incredibly long time to do all this. We won't be able to get it done until the end of Spring."

OOO

The Courier sat in a large black recliner, next to eight Securitrons. He was sitting next to Arcade Gannon, Mr House in a Securitron, the Gary Leader, Captain Peterson, Romero and Captain Russo. The Behemoth was behind him, Boone was on top of a fuel tanker, hidden from view and several. Four NYPD Officers stopped the locals from approaching, while a junkyard Protectron set up a large table with a map of New York to divide the territories, should a negotiation work. The Courier saw a Vertibird approaching, and land. The Lone Wanderer stepped out with a group of six paladins, and walked towards them. He was followed by the blond paladin, a man in a suit and a man in a Vault 18 Jumpsuit. They all sat down, and the Courier smiled.

"Gentlemen! It's a pleasure. Can I offer anyone a drink?"

"Yes, if you kindly would. If I may introduce myself, I am Mr Peckin. P-E-C-K-I-N, Peckin." The Top hatted-Gentleman said.

The Courier poured two glasses of wine, one for himself and the other for Mr Peckin. He took a sip, and smiled at the men.

"Let's start these negotiations, then." Mr House said. "The Boomers have fixed the Howitzer found in the Fort, and I sent it over to the Courier. They'll help reinforce the NVM, so with the nuclear strike we have every advantage. Withdraw completely from New York, and we won't hunt you do. Is anyone opposed to a peaceful ending of the war? Say aye." The Courier said.

No one spoke.

"Perfect. Now, I believe we have several options here. A complete retreat out of New Vegas by me, which I can promise you will never happen. There could be a complete retreat by you, which I believe is unlikely."

"Yeah, it's unlikely, you dirt bag piece of shit." One of the Paladin Guards muttered.

The Courier sighed.

"Yeah, just let him say that. Good leadership, Water-Giver. Our other options are a division of New York, and a Coalition between the two of us. A good start towards the coalition of the two alliances would be executing the several war criminals that have been reported. I already had the Chinese Jailor who hung three captured brothers of steel imprisoned, and had the super-mutant who beat a medic to death killed. There's reports of a Brotherhood Medic known as the Bloody Surgeon cutting up captured mutants to learn about their weak points, and there was the execution of a mutant, a Chinese Soldier and a Securitron after the hospital that I personally saw captured. A scout found the bodies, dumped like trash. Then there's that squad that blew a town to smithereens with mini-nukes, killing all the civilians inside. I'd like them brought to justice."

"These are all hateful rumours spread by the NVM. I won't address them. I want to divide New York."

"OK, then. We have several ways to do this. We could divide by the territories we already have, which I disagree with, as I could conquer much more of your land with the army. We could have the areas vote for their leader, but there are several valuable areas with no native population, so I would imply we divide it right now. We negotiate over every area, and make decisions. Agreed?"

"You can't kill my men and expect to negotiate! It's not human!" Sarah Lyons said.

"Not human? Humans aren't that different from animals when you get down to it. The only things that make us human are the ability to make sacrifices for a greater cause, which is what your men were. A sacrifice. The things that make us human are the ability to do things against survival, like making sacrifices, and our quirks. Our quirks are what make us up. I drink alcohol even though it could kill me, I have a Teddy Bear in my satchel that I've carried all my life, even though it has no value or use. Humanity isn't some valuable virtue that makes us moral. Most humans aren't good people. You included. So stop talking about your goodness and my slaughter of your men, because I'm not human."

"Alright. Any areas you must have?"

"The Mutant Territory, of course. I also need Vault 5 and the surrounding hunting grounds, the Junkyard and surrounding scavenging areas."

"I need Vault 18, Uptown Heights, the Brotherhood controlled subway, the area captured by the Republic of Dave and the areas used as bases by my men."

"Fine. Let's get to work dividing the city."